Automatic-oil-switch time recorder



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1 www". Q .o 23 IV l NOV. 5, 1929. C, E, LARRABEE ET AL 1,734,495

AUTOMATIC OIL SWITCH TIME RECORDER Filed Nov. 21, 1927 2 SheetS-Sheet l Nov. 5, 1929. c. E. LARRABEE ET A1. 1,734,495

AUTOMATIC OIL SWITCH TIME RECORDER(l Filed Nov. 2l, 1927 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gvwamtou/ Clintvn E` Marra bee AQ uwe/Ice S. HQI/ris o." ifheif @Hom/m Patented Nov. 5, 1929 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE CLINTON E. LARRABEE, 0F BINGHAMTON, AND'LAURENCE S. HARRISON, OF TUCKA- HOE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNORS TO INTERNATIONAL TIME RIISLCOIRDING- COMPANY OF NEW YORK, 0F ENDICOTT, NEW YORK, A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK AUTOMATIC-OIL-SWITCH TIME RECORDER Application led November 21, 1927. Serial No. 234,657.

This invention relates to a time recorder and more particularly to a circuit breaker recorder which will automatically record the opening and closing time of a circuit.

This recorder is particularly adapted to be used in power houses where the line voltage is cut oif for some reason, either by the accidental overloading of. the line or for some other reason, resulting in the loss of power to manufacturers using that line as well as a loss to the power company. At the present time there is nosatisfactory means for accuratelyrecording when and the duration of time that a circuit is broken on a particular line.

According to `our invention we have succeeded in constructing a recorder which is adapted to be operated in connection with a circuit breaker to automatically record the time a circuit breaker is opened and the time it is closed.

An object of our invention is to provide a recorder which will keep accurate account of the time that current is supplied over any given circuit.

Another object is to provide a means for keeping such an account by recording the time when a circuit is opened and the time when a -circuit is closed again.

Another object is to provide a device of this character in which the recording is effected by the printing of the closing and opening times of a circuit.

A further object is to provide a recorder of this character wherein the device is controlled by clock mechanism.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character wherein the clock mechanism may be controlled by a distant master clock.

Various other objects and advantages of our invention will be obvious from the following particular description of one form of mechanism embodying the invention or from an inspection of the Vaccompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of my automatic circuit breaker recorder, the casing being shovn in section.

Figs. 2 and 3 are details of the relay and certain contacts used in the recorder.

Fig. 4 is a view of the tape showing the opened and closed indications as well as the other information printed by the reeerder.

Fig. 5 is a circuit diagram illustrating the operation and control of the device and the manner in which a circuit breaker may be connected to the recorder for controlling the same.

The general operation of the device may be understood by referring briefly to Fig. 5 whose operation will be explained in detail later after the mechanical structures and operations of the several elements have been made clear. The times of opening and closing an oil circuit breaker indicated at 52 are to be recorded by energizing an operating magnet 14 to effect printing from suitable time printing wheels and from suitable elements set by the operation ofthe circuit closer to indicate whether its operation is an opening or closing one. The circuit closer in moving to closed and open 'positions closes circuits through magnets l0 and 1(),`respec tively, each of which magnets set suitable printing mechanism to register the condition of the circuit breaker the magnet 10 setting the printing mechanism to print Closed and the magnet 10 setting it to print Opened. Energization of either of these magnets also closes a circuit to relay 21 which in turn closes a circuit to printing magnet 14 to effect, printing. This operation will be clearer from the following detailed description.

Referring to Fig. 1, the device includes a plurality` of magnets 1() and 10 for shifting a type sector 11 carrying thereon opened and closed indications. A set of contacts 12 are provided for completingl a circuit to the relay 21 and a similar set of contacts 12 are provided for opening the circuit to the magnets 1 0 and 10. A solenoid 14 through suitable linkage when energized causesV a record to be printed upon the paper tape 15 fed through suitable means from the spool 16. The record is printed on the tape 15 by means of the type wheel 17 and a printing hammer 18. The type wheel 17 is driven in the well known manner through proper clock mechanism. A printed record showing the time the circuit was opened and the time the circuit was closed is shown in detail in Fig. 4. Also when the solenoid 14 is energized contacts 19', 20 will be broken and contacts 19-20 made, breaking the circuit to the relav 21 which in turn opens the circuit to the solenoid 14. The contacts 19T-1.9 and 20 and the relay 21 are shown f :etail in Figs. 2 and 3. I

The magnets 10 and 10 are mounted 1n brackets 22 and 22. Each of the magnets has an armature 23 and 23 pivoted at their lower ends to the brackets 22 and 22. The opposite or upper ends of the armatures are pivotally connected at 24 and 24 to a set of links 25 and 25 which links are at their opposite ends pivotally connected at 26 to the type sector 11. Fixed on the links 25 and 25 are a plurality of laterally extending pins 27 between which extend the center contact spring of each of the contacts 12 and 12. When the magnet 10 is energized as shown, its armature 23 will be attracted causing the link 25 to be moved to the left. The movement of this link will turn the t pe sectorl the plurality of pins 27 previously referred to. An impositive lock 30 fixed at 31 to the plate 34 engages one of the studs 32 fixed on the type sector 11 and thus holds the sector in the position to which it is set by the links 25 or 25. A set of limit studs 32 are provided for preventing an overthrow of the type sector 11. The type wheel 17 previously referred to, is freely mounted on a shaft 29 and driven through well known clock mechanism to indicate the time of day7 etc. Since the clock mechanism forms no part of the present invention it will not be disclosed in detail. A simple form of such a device is fully disclosed in Patent No. 916,001, issued to M. W. Obermiller, March 23, 1909. A set of-brackets 33 and 33 are fixed to each side of the plate 34 and carry a set of spools 35 and 35 upon which the linking ribbon 36 is carried. The paper tape 15 is fed from a spool 16 pivoted at 38 to the frame of the machine by a set of upper and lower feed rollers 77 and 77 between which the paper tape 15 passes and by which it is engaged. The upper roller 77 is carried by its plate 78 and maintains a fixed position with respect to the frame of the machine. The lower roller 7 7 is mounted on a bracket 79 pivoted at 8O to the frame 78 and is actuated by a spring 81 to resiliently press against the paper 15, pressing the latter against the upper roller 77. Fixed on the shaft 84 is a ratchet 82 with which a pawl 83 carried by the plate 51 cooperates. The plate 51 vis rotated about theshaft 84 which carries the roller 7 7. A spring 85 between'the pawl 83 and Aplate 51 causes the pawl to cooperate with the ratchet 82. When the solenoid 14 is energized the pawl 83 moves toward the right one tooth space ready to actlate the ratchet 82. When the solenoid is deenergized and the spring 57B returns the parts to their normal positions the pawl 83 moves to the left against the ratchet 82 feeding the paper 15 one line space. A spring pressed pawl 86 prevents retrograde movement of the ratchet 82. An aperture 38 in the casing of the machine is provided for the recorder tape to feed through.

The solenoid 14 is fixed to the frame of the recorder by means of screws 40 The core 41 of the solenoid is connected at' 42 to an arm 43. Pivoted to the right side of the arm 43 is a bell crank 44 the vertical arm of which is adapted through a spring 59 and a hook 60 to normally engage a pin 61 on the printing hammer 18. The other or horizontal arm of the bell crank carries a roller or stud 44a which is mounted for vertical movement in a slot 44b on an arm 45. The arm 45'L may be adjusted by means of the screw and slot connection 45". The left side of the arm 43 is fixed to a rotatable stud 45 journalled in Y the frame of the recorder. A lever 46 having two extending arms 47 and 48 is also mounted on the rotatable stud 45 thus being fixed to the arm 43 so that any movement of the arm about its pivot will likewise be transmitted to the lever 46. The arm 47 of the lever 46 has connected thereto at its right end a link 49 which is connected at 50 to the plate 51. The arm 47 and link 49 through the plate 51 and pawl 83 previously described, feeds the paper 15 over the type Wheel 17 and out of the recorder through the aperture 38?. The arm 48 of the lever '46 has pivotally connected thereto at 53 an actuating latch 54 biased by a spring 55 to normally vengage a ratchet wheel 56. The ratchet wheel 56 has rigidly mounted thereto a block 57 and a set of cams 58 and 58 (see Fig. 3) and is pivotally mounted on a stud or shaft 59. A'spring 56a pressing against the block 57 tends to hold the ratchet and cams in a set position against accidental movement. A spring. 57 connected at one end to the arm 48 and at its opposite end to the frame of the recorder returns the actuating latch 54 to its upper or normal position and also returns the elements connected thereto to normal position which they occupy when the\ solenoid 14 is deenergized. When the solenoid 14 is energized the actuating latch 54 through link 46 and arm 43 revolves the ratchet wheel 56a distance of 90 degrees turning with it thecams 58 and 58.

The printing hammer 1 8 includes a cushion 18'L and is fixed to an extending arm 62 and a depending arm' 63 so that these three elements move about the axis 64 together. A spring 65 is provided for snapping the hammer 18 against the paper tape 15' when the hook 60 of the bell crank latch is moved out of engagement with the pin 61 as will be hereinafter described. Connected to the arm 63 which as lpreviously referred to is fixed on the hammer 18 to cooperate therewith is a member 66 adapted to aetuate the feeding mechanism for the ink ribbon 36. Full details of this mechanism need not be disclosed here as such mechanism is well known and forms no part of the invention.

Referring nowl to Fig. 3 a detail description of the contacts 19, 19 and 20 will be given. A set of cam wipers 60l and 60 pivotally mounted on a stud 61 and biased by springs 62 cooperates with the cams 58 and 58- fixed with respect to the ratchet wheel 56. Rigidly mounted to the cam wiper 60 is an insulated plate 61 carrying at its lower end the contact 19 and at its upper end the contact 19. The cam wiper 60 is also provided with an insulated plate 61 upon which is mounted at its upper end a set of contacts 20. The cams 58 and 58 are so disposed as to alternately and opposingly raise and lower the cam wipers 60 and 60 through which the contacts 20 alternately make and break with its adjacent contacts 19, 19.v For example, starting from the position shown in Fig. 3, a 90 degree turn o the cams 58 and 58 will cause the cam wiper 60 to raise and will permit the cam wiper 60 to lower thereby causing contact 20 to make with contact 19 and to break with Contact 19 and on the next succeeding 90 degree turn of the ratchet wheel 56 restoration occurs bringing the contacts back again to the position shown in Fig. 3.

The relay magnet shown in Fig. 2 is of well known type and its contacts are adapted to carry the operating current of the solenoid 14 which is heavier thancan be readily carried by the contacts 19, 20 which are necessarily of light construction.

Reference will now be had to Fig. 5. Assume that the circuit breaker 52 and switch (Fig. 5) are in closed position and the last registration on the time of closing, with the parts in this position the armature 23 of the magnet 10 will be held against its pole face by meansy of the impositive lock 30 and the link 25. The center contact springs of the contact groups 12 and 12 will be flexed to the left closing contacts 63 and 63 and opening contacts 64 and 64. The armature 23 (see Fig.

the tape 15 indicating 1) of the mafrnet 10 will be held away from its pole face by means of the impositive lock 30 and the link 25. The contacts 19 and 2O will be in closed position. The knife blade 65 (Fig. 5) which is connected to the circuit breaker by a link 65 will be now making positive contact with the split blade 66 due to the circuit breaker being closed.

Assuming now that the switch 6 8 (Figs. 1 and 5) is closed and the circuit breaker 52 opens, the knife blade 65 will be'actuated downwardly making positive Contact with the split blade 67 and in so doing will complete a circuit from one side 69 of the supply line, through wire 70, wire 71, knife blade 65, split blade 67, wire 72, magnet 10', contacts 63, wire 7 3, and back to the other side 74 of the supply line. Themagnet 10 is thus energized attracting its armature 2 3', actuating the links 25 and 25 to the right and rocking the typesector 11 to the left thereby aligning lthe type in position to register Opened. The movement of the link 25 to the right causes contacts 63 to open and contacts 64 to close. The opening of contacts 63 deenergizes magnet 10 and prevents further flow of current in the magnet, the armature 23', however, being held againstrits pole face by the impositive latch 30 as previously described. The movement of link 25 to the right causes contacts 64 to close thus establishing a circuit from one side 69 of the supply line, through Wire 75, contacts 64 now closed, contacts 19 and 20 now closed, relay magnet 21 and back to the other side 74 of the supply line. The relay magnet 21 now( energized, closes its contacts 76 thus establishing a circuit from the supply line 69 through relay contacts 76, solenoid 14, line 73 and back to the other side 7 4 of the supply line. When the solenoid 14 is energized, its core 41 (see Fig. 1) will be attracted, moving the arm 43 in a counterclockwise direction thus moving the bell crank latch 44 connected to the right side of the arm 43 upwardly. The hook 60 of the bell crank will be held in engagement with the in 61 on the printing hammer 18 by the sprmg 59?. When the stud or roller 44 on the bell crank latch abuts the upper surface of the slot 44b the right hand end of the bell crank ceases to rise and turns about the stud 44 as a pivotal point, the left hand end continues to rise. This causes the hook 60 to be moved to the left` out of engagement with the pin 61, allowing the hammer under the tension of spring 65 to be snapped against the paper 15 for printing a record. It is to be understood that during the rise of the hammer 18 that the spring 65 is tensioned. When the solenoid 14 has become deenergized and the parts returns to their normal or lower positions the latch 60 will snap under the pin 61 through tension of spring 59".

Also during the counterclockwise movement of the arm '43, the lever 46 fixed with respect thereto is also actuated counterclockwise. The actuation of this lever causes the actuating latch 54 to revolve the ratchet 56 a distance of 90 as previously set forth thereby openind contacts 19 and 20 and closing contacts l and 20. The opening ofI contacts 19 and 20 deenergizes the rela 21 thus opening the relay contacts 76 and reaking the circuitkcto the solenoid and completing the operation-of the recorder. The closing of contacts 19 and 20 which are in series with the contacts 63 now opened, will prepare the circuit forlthe next operation when the circuit breaker 52 is closed;l l

The counterclockwise `movement of the lever 46 will also through link 49 and plate 5l cause the pawl 83 to be moved to the right one tooth space in readiness to actuate the. ratchet 82.

When the solenoid 14 is deenergized the mechanismsabove referred to Will be returned to their normal positions by the spring 57a which wasftensioned during the movement of the lever 46. The pawl 83 above referred to as being in position to engage a tooth space on the ratchet 82,'wi1l be actuated by the return of link; 46 to its normal position, thereby feeding the paper one line space. A spring pressed pawl 86 previously referred to is provided for holding the ratchet in the position to which it has been actuated by the pawl 83.

When the circuit breaker 52 is a ain closed the knife blade 65 will be actuate upwardly to make positive contact with the split blade 66 establishing a circuit from one side 69 of the supply line, through lines 70 and 71knife blade 65, split blade 66, magnet 10, contacts 64 now closed from the previous operation of magnet 10', line 73 and ack to the other side 74 of the supply line. The middle contact springs of the contact groups 12 and 12 will now shift to the left causing contacts 64 to break interrupting the current through magnet 10 and causing contacts 63 to make esta lishing a circuit as follows: From one side 69 of the supply line through wire 75, contacts 63', contacts 19-20, relay 21 and back to the other side 74 of the supply line. ,y During this circuit the ty e sector 11 will be set to indicate closed Directly thereafter printing and resetting of the several circuit elements is efected in a manner entirely similar to that just explained. The magnets 77 (Fig. 5) are shown as a means v.for actuating the type Wheel 17 of the mechanism for print. ing. This magnet is operated in the usual way from any Well known electrical time'system which sends minute impulses.

While we have shown and described and pointed out the fundamental novel features or' the invention as applied to a single modification it will be understood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes in the form and details of the device illustrated and in its operation may be made by those skilled in the art without de arting from the spirit y of the invention. eintend to be limited therefore only as indicated the followin claims:

1. In com ination a circuit breaker, a printing element carrying type indicative of open and closed positions of said breaker and means controlled by the movement of the breaker to its alternative position to set the type element and-effect printing from the same. p

2. In combination a circuit breaker, a printing' element carrying type indicative of open and closed positions of said breaker, means controlled by the movement of t-he breaker to its alternative position to set the type element, time controlled type elements in juxtaposition to said first named type element and means controlled by the movement of the circuit breaker to effect printing from all type elements.

3. In combination a member movable to alternate positions, a registering element carrying indicia indicative of the alternate positions, a pair of electroma etic devices controlled by the movement o the movable member to set the registering element and means controlled by each electro-magnetic device on its operation to disable itself and prepare the other for a subsequent operation.

4. In combination a member movable to alternate positions, a registering element movable to alternate positions and carrying indicia indicative of the alternate positions of said member, means for moving the element comprising a pair of magnets and circuits for the Asame controlled by the movementof the member, each of said magnets serving 'to set the registering element in a certain one of its registering positions and means controlled by each magnet for interrupting its own circuit and preparing the circuit of the other for subsequent operation.

5. In combination a member movable to alternate positions, a pair of circuit closers and means for closing them alternately as the member moves to its alternate positions, a registering element movable to alternate positlons and carrying indicia indicative of the positions of said member, a pair of magnets cooperating with said element for movby the scope of ing it to one of its alternate positions, and

a circuit for each magnet including one of the circuit closers controlled by the movable member and circuit controlling mechanism controlled by each magnet on its operation for disabling its own circuit and preparing the circuit of the other magnet for subsequent operation. y

6. In combination a member movable to alternate positions, a printing element movable to alternate positions and carrying type indicative of the alternate positions of said llt) lll)

member, a pair of electro-magnets each controlled by movement of the movable member to set the printing element in one of its alternate positions, means controlled by each electromagnet upon operation to disable itself and prepare the other for subsequent operation and means controlled by movement of said movable member to eect printing from said printing element.

7. In combination a memberV movable to alternate positions, a printing element movable to alternate positions and carrying type indicative of the alternate positions of said member, a pair of electro-magnets each controlled by movement o the movable member to set the printing element in one of its alternate positions, means controlled by each electromagnet upon operation to disable itself and prepare the other for subsequent operation, a printing control magnet and means controlled by energization of either one of said pair of magnets for energizing said rinting control magnet.

8. In combination a member movable to alternate positions and a pair of circuit closers each closed in one position of 'said member, a printing element movable to alternate positions and carrying type indicative of the alternate positions of said member, a pair of electromagnets one in circuit with each circuit closer for moving said printing element to alternate position, a printing control magnet and a pair of circuits for the same each including one of the circuit closers associated with the movable member and a circuit closer operated by one of the electromagnets to effect printing after each movement of the printing element.

In testimony whereof we hereto aix our signatures.

' CLINTON E. LARRABEE.

LAURENCE S. HARRISON. 

